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Home-built truck cap?

Espo | Posted in General Discussion on December 9, 2005 03:47am

Hey Guys,

OK, maybe I have too much time on my hands, but I can’t rid myself of the wish to build a utility style truck cap for my Nissan 4wd pick-up – the kind with the side tool boxes integrated into a box-like cap with doors at the rear instead of a tailgate. Nice and tall – 4′ or so and secure. And not so heavy that the cap is the only thing I can haul around! One that I can customize to my heart’s content. I googled this topic but could find nothing – not one article or reference on building one’s own cap.

I know this sort of thing has been tried before with greater or less success I’d imagine. My first thought was a plywood body (exterior plywood weather sealed, not too heavy, that would look nice in a shopbuilt but not cheap looking way. I’m thinking, thinking, thinking about different materials/ designs/ possibilities…any thoughts? (“your nuts!” is one I’m sure:) )

Best,

Dave Esposito

(I remodel and do Home Repairs in Rochester NY)

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  1. Danno | Dec 09, 2005 03:54am | #1

    It seems like I remember seeing an article in a magazine a while ago about something like this--or maybe it was an actual vehicle body for like a dunebuggy type vehicle. I was thinking of Styrofoam panels covered on both sides with fiberglass and resin so it's like a stressed skin sandwich construction.

    I may have seen an article on that in Popular Mechanix or Mechanix Illustrated. ((Maybe they spell Mechanics this way?)

  2. Shep | Dec 09, 2005 05:13am | #2

    I remember an article where someone made a cap, similar to making a canoe.

    There were supporting ribs, and ( I think ) cedar or redwood skin. I'm thinking that the wood was about 3/8" thick?? Then the whole thing was coated with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin to waterproof it.

    In the picture I ( vaguely ) remember , the cap looked really nice. But it seemed like a lot of work.

  3. 4Lorn1 | Dec 09, 2005 06:21am | #3

    http://www.glen-l.com/campers/campers.html

    Scroll down to : "Camper Shells".

  4. dustinf | Dec 09, 2005 06:30am | #4

    I just bought a new to me 1989 ford utility bed truck, and the utility bed is in desparate need of repair.  I'm thinking teak door frames with aluminum diamond plate panels. 

    To enclose it I'm thinking.  Aluminum "rafters" connected the two sides with diamond plate bent a a "roof".  Losing the tailgate, and fabricating a new tail gate, and door.

    Still trying to figure out a locking mechanism for the doors, but I have time.

    ---------------------

    Swimming through the ashes of another life, no real reason to accept the way things have changed.  Wrapped in guilt, sealed up tight.

  5. IdahoDon | Dec 09, 2005 06:39am | #5

    Dave, I have been thinking the exact same thing for a few years.  What I've come across is the article that was mentioned above and that's about it.

     I've drew plans for the features that worked for my situation and, not knowing exactly what materials would be needed structually, made a cut list based on my best guesses as a place to start.  Wow, it takes a lot of material.  Just adding up the sheet goods, hardware and materials to fiberglass the exterior puts the project into the $600-$1000 range.  Add to that an estimated 100 hrs of labor and this becomes a real project.

    Basically, I figured that 100 hrs. of labor spend on a job site would allow me to buy a better utility topper than I could build.

    However, there seems to be an untapped source of truck topper materials!  Taking a close look at how industrial trailers and specialty vehicles are put together (UPS trucks, etc.) it dawned on me that a larger wrecked trailer or vehicle could produce enough salvaged materials for a top of the line stand up utility box. 

    Where I lived a few years ago, the local salvage yard often had wrecked semi trailers that would be cut and pulled apart for their scrap value.  Also, totaled box vans often sell for very little. 

    The construction would not be based on wood, but it would more closely resemble something being produced for the purpose, and would most likely be lighter and more durable.

    Still, the more time I spend working out the construction details, the more apparent it is that until I get a house with a large work space and this can be a project done for fun, it just doesn't make financial sense.

    Cheers,

    Don

  6. RedfordHenry | Dec 09, 2005 07:11am | #6

    I dunno, I've seen a lot of homemade plywood caps and to me, the vast majority of them look, well, homemade.  They might even look ok at first, but they don't seem to age well in the sun.

    Not that one couldn't cherry out a cap with a plywood shell, fiberglass, gel-coat, $500 worth of stainless steel hardware, and about 200 hours, but if boat building is not your thing, and you deal with the general public, I think time is better spent shopping for commercially made cap.

    If this is just a work truck for hauling materials, or you actually do have a lot of free time, go for it!

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